If a PS5 disc game will not start, work through three separate checks in order: the disc itself, the console’s network connection, and the account or license tied to the content. Start at Settings > Network > Connection Status > Test Internet Connection, then verify the owning account, Console Sharing and Offline Play, and finally restore licenses at Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses. A PlayStation service outage can produce the same “license information can’t be confirmed” symptom as a local problem, so check PlayStation Status before deeper repairs. The menu labels below match Sony’s support pages checked on October 29, 2026, although a system-software update can change wording.
What should I have ready before checking a PS5 disc game?
Have the game disc, the PS5 controller, and access to the account that owns any related digital purchase or add-on. If another person normally uses the console, ask the content owner to be available to sign in. You should also be able to reach PlayStation Status from a phone or computer, because a server-side incident can prevent license confirmation even when the disc and home network are fine.
- Know whether the problem concerns the physical game on the disc or a downloaded game, expansion, currency pack, or other add-on.
- Write down the exact error message and any error code before changing settings.
- If possible, capture a screenshot or short video showing the padlock, message, or failed launch. Sony Support can use that evidence when basic checks do not resolve the issue.
How do I check PS5 internet, account and license settings for a disc game?
Follow these checks in order. The sequence separates a damaged or badly inserted disc from a network failure, an account mismatch, a sharing configuration problem, and a temporary PlayStation service issue.
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Inspect and reseat the disc
Remove the disc and check both sides under good light. Look for fingerprints, dust, liquid residue, deep scratches, or cracks. Wipe it with a soft, lint-free cloth according to Sony’s disc-issues guidance, then insert it again with the printed side oriented correctly for your PS5 model. Make sure the console accepts the disc fully and that the game tile appears on the home screen.
A disc-cleaning kit is an optional accessory only when the disc is visibly dirty. Cleaning cannot repair an account mismatch, a missing license, a PlayStation Network outage, or a server that failed to confirm entitlement. If the disc is cracked or badly scratched, do not keep forcing it into the drive.
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Run the PS5 internet test
Open Settings > Network > Connection Status > Test Internet Connection. Record all three relevant results: whether the PS5 obtains an IP address, whether it has internet access, and whether it can reach PlayStation Network.
- No IP address: the console has not established a usable connection with the router or access point. Check the selected Wi-Fi network or the Ethernet cable before moving to account settings.
- IP address succeeds but internet access fails: the PS5 reached the local network but not the wider internet. Treat this as a home-network or internet-service problem first.
- Internet works but PlayStation Network fails: the local connection may be healthy while PSN access or Sony’s service is unavailable. Check PlayStation Status and retry before changing licenses.
- All results succeed: move to the signed-in account and entitlement checks. A successful connection test does not prove that the current user owns the game or that Console Sharing is configured correctly.
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Confirm the signed-in account
If the game tile has a padlock or the PS5 says that license information cannot be confirmed, sign in with the account that owns the content. For a physical disc, the disc proves possession of the base game, but a downloaded add-on or other digital entitlement still belongs to a specific PlayStation account.
For purchased digital content or add-ons, review that account’s transaction history and make sure you are not looking at a different regional or family account. If the error appears only for a shared user, have the owning user sign in and continue with the Console Sharing and Offline Play check below.
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Check Console Sharing and Offline Play
On the owning account, open Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play. Enable it when the owning account is intended to share its purchased content on this PS5 or when Sony’s error guidance directs you to do so.
This setting determines whether other users on that particular PS5 can use the owning account’s eligible purchases while signed in to their own profiles, including when the console is offline. It does not change who bought the content. If the owning account has Console Sharing enabled on a different PS5, the sharing arrangement may not work on this console until the account settings are corrected.
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Restore licenses
From the account that owns the affected content, go to Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Restore Licenses. Select the relevant licenses and wait for the process to finish, then launch the game again.
Sony states: “Please note, restoring licenses won’t affect your data.” The operation refreshes entitlement information; it does not remove installed games, saved data, screenshots, or user profiles. It is therefore an appropriate next step for a padlock or unconfirmed-license message after you have verified the account and sharing setting.
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Check PlayStation service status and retry
Sony explains that “the connection to the server may have failed and the license information for the content wasn’t confirmed.” Open the official PlayStation Status page and look for an alert affecting account management, gaming and social, or PlayStation Network services.
If an incident is listed, wait for service recovery rather than repeatedly restoring licenses. If no incident is listed, restart the PS5 and try the game again. For a persistent network symptom, power off the router and modem for at least five minutes, power them back on, wait for the connection to return, and run the PS5 internet test again.
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Update the system and escalate carefully
Install the latest PS5 system software before using advanced recovery. If the disc, account, network, sharing, license, and service-status checks have all been completed and the error remains, Sony lists Safe Mode’s Clear Cache and Rebuild Database path as a later troubleshooting step.
Use that system-level option only after the account and service checks, because rebuilding the database is not a substitute for signing in to the owning account or waiting out a PlayStation outage. If the problem continues, contact PlayStation Support with the error code, exact message, steps that reproduce it, and your screenshot or video.
How can I tell a disc problem from an account or license problem?
The symptom usually points to the right branch, but one problem can mask another. Use this comparison before repeating a step.
| What you see | Most relevant check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The disc is visibly dirty, will not seat correctly, or the game tile never appears | Clean and reseat the disc; follow Sony’s disc-issues guidance | A physical insertion or surface problem is separate from digital entitlement. |
| A padlock appears on the game or an add-on | Sign in to the owning account, check Console Sharing and Offline Play, then restore licenses | The PS5 may be unable to match the current user to the purchase or confirm its license. |
| “The license information of the content can’t be confirmed” appears | Run the internet test, check PlayStation Status, and retry after service recovery | Sony says a failed server connection can prevent confirmation. |
| The PS5 cannot obtain an IP address or internet access | Fix the Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection and restart network equipment | The console has not established the network path needed for online confirmation. |
| Internet works but PlayStation Network does not | Check PlayStation Status before changing licenses | The local network may be fine while PSN is unavailable. |
| All checks pass but the same error returns | Update system software, then consider Safe Mode’s Clear Cache and Rebuild Database and contact Support | The remaining fault may be system-level or account-specific. |
Why does a PS5 disc game show a padlock?
A padlock means the PS5 cannot currently validate access to the content associated with that tile. With a disc game, first confirm that the physical disc is inserted and readable; then determine whether the locked item is actually a digital add-on, downloaded version, or other account-bound content.
Sign in to the purchasing account and review its transaction history for digital purchases or add-ons. If the account belongs to another person who shares the console, verify Console Sharing and Offline Play on that owner’s profile. A clean disc will not remove a padlock caused by the wrong user, disabled sharing, an unconfirmed license, or a PlayStation Network outage.
What does Console Sharing and Offline Play change?
Console Sharing and Offline Play lets an owning account make eligible purchases available to other users on one designated PS5, including during offline use. The owner must still retain the purchase on that account; enabling sharing does not transfer ownership to another profile.
Use Settings > Users and Accounts > Other > Console Sharing and Offline Play while signed in as the owner. If the option is already enabled yet a shared user sees a lock, sign out and back in on the owner’s account, restore licenses there, and retry after checking PlayStation Status. Account ownership, PlayStation Plus status, and service availability can change, so treat those details as current-state settings rather than permanent guarantees.
What should I do when the PS5 internet test fails?
No IP address
Check that the PS5 is connected to the intended Wi-Fi network or that the Ethernet cable is firmly seated. Restart the router and modem, wait at least five minutes with them powered off, then start them again and rerun Settings > Network > Connection Status > Test Internet Connection.
Internet access fails after an IP address is obtained
The console has reached the local network but not the wider internet. Resolve that connection before restoring licenses, because a license refresh cannot complete reliably without the required network path.
PlayStation Network access fails while internet works
Check PlayStation Status for a service incident. If Sony reports a disruption, retry after the service returns; if no incident is shown, restart the PS5, rerun the test, and then continue with the owning-account and license steps.
What if restoring licenses does not remove the lock?
Confirm that you restored licenses while signed in to the account that purchased the affected digital item, not merely the profile trying to launch it. Recheck Console Sharing and Offline Play on that owner account, verify the disc is inserted, and look for a current PlayStation Status alert. If all three checks are correct, update the PS5 system software and use Sony’s Safe Mode Clear Cache and Rebuild Database guidance before contacting Support.
When should I contact PlayStation Support?
Escalate after the disc inspection, internet test, account check, Console Sharing setting, license restoration, service-status check, restart, and system-software update. Provide the exact error code and wording, describe the order of steps that failed, and attach a screenshot or video when possible. This gives Support a reproducible account of whether the fault is physical, network-related, entitlement-related, or system-level.
Is a disc-cleaning kit a fix for every PS5 disc error?
No. A cleaning kit is relevant only when the disc is visibly dirty and should be treated as optional disc-care equipment. It cannot repair scratches or cracks, restore a digital license, enable Console Sharing, solve a failed PSN connection, or resolve a PlayStation service outage.
Frequently asked questions
Does a physical disc appear in PlayStation transaction history?
Transaction history is useful for purchases made through the account, such as downloaded games and add-ons. A retail disc is a separate physical item, so use the disc check for the base game and reserve transaction-history review for the digital content that is showing a lock.
Why can the internet test pass while license confirmation still fails?
The test confirms the PS5’s route to the network and PlayStation Network at that moment; it does not guarantee that Sony’s entitlement service is responding or that the signed-in user owns the content. A service-status check and an owning-account review are still required.
Should I restore licenses before restarting the router?
Use the diagnostic order: record the internet-test results, check PlayStation Status, and fix a failed local connection first. Restore licenses after the account and sharing checks, when the PS5 can reach the services needed to refresh entitlement information.
What information is most useful if Support asks for details?
Give the exact on-screen message, any error code, the account role involved (owner or shared user), and the steps that reproduce the failure. Include a screenshot or video and note whether the disc is visibly damaged, because that helps separate a drive or media issue from a license-confirmation issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a physical disc appear in PlayStation transaction history?
Transaction history is useful for purchases made through the account, such as downloaded games and add-ons. A retail disc is a separate physical item, so use the disc check for the base game and reserve transaction-history review for the digital content that is showing a lock.
Why can the internet test pass while license confirmation still fails?
The test confirms the PS5’s route to the network and PlayStation Network at that moment; it does not guarantee that Sony’s entitlement service is responding or that the signed-in user owns the content. A service-status check and an owning-account review are still required.
Should I restore licenses before restarting the router?
Use the diagnostic order: record the internet-test results, check PlayStation Status, and fix a failed local connection first. Restore licenses after the account and sharing checks, when the PS5 can reach the services needed to refresh entitlement information.
What information is most useful if Support asks for details?
Give the exact on-screen message, any error code, the account role involved (owner or shared user), and the steps that reproduce the failure. Include a screenshot or video and note whether the disc is visibly damaged, because that helps separate a drive or media issue from a license-confirmation issue.